The Uighurs of China

Xinjiang province

Xinjiang, a sprawling region that
borders Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, is home to millions of
Uighurs, the region's indigenous Turkic Muslim Uighur ethnic group, which is
linguistically and culturally distinct from China's Han ethnic majority.

Xinjiang province

An ethnic Uighur woman pushes a bicycle with her son on it along a dirt road in Turpan, Xinjiang province, Oct. 31, 2013.

Credit: Carlos Barria/Reuters

Xinjiang province

Ethnic Uighur customers select goats at a fair on a street in Aksu, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, July 21, 2013.

Credit: William Hong/Reuters

Xinjiang province

An ethnic Uighur man plays with his grandson in the old district of Kashgar city, in Xinjiang province, Aug. 4, 2011.

Credit: Reuters

Xinjiang province

Armed paramilitary policemen run in formation
during a gathering to mobilize security operations in Urumqi, Xinjiang, June
29, 2013.

More than a hundred people, riding motorbikes
and wielding knives, attacked a police station in China's ethnically divided
western region of Xinjiang, state media said.

In July 2009 ethnic riots between Uighurs and
China's Han majority left 200 people dead.
Nine Uighurs were executed for taking part in the unrest, which China
blamed on overseas-based groups agitating for broader rights for Uighurs in
Xinjiang. The government also blocked Internet access and international phone
calls in the region.

Credit: Reuters

Xinjiang province

An ethnic Uighur child pulls a donkey near Mount Tianshan in Aksu, Xinjiang, July 28, 2012.

Credit: Reuters

Xinjiang province

Participants ride horses as they fight for a slaughtered goat during a Buzkashi event in Yuli county, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, Oct. 19, 2013.

Buzkashi is a traditional central Asian sport played between two teams of horsemen competing to throw a beheaded goat into a scoring circle.

Credit: Reuters/China Daily

Xinjiang province

A facial mask made from pitch and egg white, which is believed to minimize pores, is removed from the face of an ethnic Uighur man during a treatment session at a beauty salon in Aksu, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, Aug. 5, 2012.

Credit: Reuters

Xinjiang province

Participants run while carrying sheep during a "Running with Sheep" race in Yiwu county, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, Aug. 22, 2013.

The event is part of a harvest celebration activity which also includes a sheep beauty contest and a sheep slaughter.

Credit: Reuters/China Daily

Xinjiang province

A man leads a sheep on his way home ahead of Eid al-Adha celebrations in Kashgar, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, Oct. 13, 2013.

Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha to mark the end of the haj pilgrimage by slaughtering sheep, goats, camels and cows to commemorate Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismail, on God's command.